Are Vaporizer Purchases for Medicinal Use Covered by Insurance?

[vap999]

What is the status of insurers, private and government, providing coverage for (reimbursing) vaporizer purchases by medicinal cannabis users in states, e.g., California, where certain prescription use has been (quasi)legalized? Do insurers provide coverage for vaporizer purchases for use with other prescribed medicinal herbs?

Are some vaporizers covered, e.g., those that portray/hype themselves more as medical devices (e.g., Volcano), while others are not, such as those obviously marketed for recreational use or constructed with unsanitary (not suited for disinfection/sterilization) materials, such as wood?

Must covered vaporizers have received formal FDA medical device (PMA or 510K) approval,? What vaporizers, if any, currently have FDA or states' approval? Or are there state drug/medical regulatory agencies that certify these products?

 

[Konrad_Zuse]

I'm not sure about every vape, but I heard the Aromed 4.0 can be covered. I've heard it's good, but pricey, not too much info on it. As oh "portay/hype" every vape is made for medical purposes, or other tobacco, not just for cannabis. I'm not sure exactly what half of your post is asking, PMA 510K, and stuff like that, but most vaporizers mentioned on this forum can be used medically, recreationally, and any other way to you want to think of. Don't just get a cano because it's "medical" it has tests done on it, but those were years ago, many other vapes do better at a lower price, and try to find the vape that suits you the most. I would check out aromed, best of luck on your search .

 

[SpiralArchitect]

I don't think any insurance company will cover the cost of a vaporizer.
Then again, I'm not sure what insurance company you have.
If I recall, cannabis medicine isn't covered by most insurance companies, so I doubt a vaporizer would be...

Most vaporizers have the same intended purpose (medicating via vaporizing), but you are right, many have different amounts of consideration when factoring in disinfection/sterilization and the area they are constructed in. I'd contact a company directly to learn about their assembly line if it's of concern, and talk to other users/owners of a vaporizer your interested in to learn about how easy it is to keep clean.

No vaporizers have received FDA or similiar, appropriate 'approvals', as far as I know.

 

[Howie Feltersnatch]

I am glad this thread was started, I was about to start a similar one.
While I am fairly confident that no insurers are currently paying for cannabis vaporizers, they could eventually with the right legislation in place.

What I am more interested in is if your private medical insurer finds out you are in some kind of a MMJ arrangement, what will (can) they do? I am afraid that some of them might think you are more at risk for "something" and start denying benefits.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Or do I need to start a new thread?

 

[lwien]

I would think that MMJ would have to be legal on a federal level before insurance companies would cover anything relating to MMJ use.